Have kept chickens & ducks for 27 years

[Sanctuaryfarm]

I have over 80 chickens & about 50 ducks & have kept them successfully (they all live extraordinarily long lives!) for about 27 years.

I have a question now about something I've never done: I want to let some girls in one community pen of approximately 33 ducks (Rouens, Runners, Khakis, Sweeds, Blue Sweeds, American Black & a single Mallard) have some ducklings in the spring. There are 5 drakes & 28 hens. They lay communally in 12 large coops inside a predator proof 1200 sq ft pen, so I never know each morning who's eggs are who's & they always seem to share egg sitting shifts.

How can I safely allow ducklings to be born in this setting? Can I mark eggs for leaving and pull the rest? When ducklings hatch, can they be raised safely in this setting? If not, how could I possibly know which hen(s) to seclude with chicks or not? I would welcome any advice experienced duck keeps have about this.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to BYC. This is a great place to explore and hang out.
Not real learned about Ducks.
You seem to have the solved !

 

[N F C]

Hi, it sounds like you have a fun place with all those birds! I've never raised ducks, but plenty of other members here have. You can post on the Ducks forum or maybe someone like @Jenbirdee will be along to help out.
Ducks forum

 

[GodLovesU]

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!

I have a few ducks and lots of chickens, but no experience with letting momma ducks hatch. Hopefully, Jen or some duck folks have some advice, or surely you can post in the duck forum @N F C linked for you.

I'm sure you're going to have some ducklings running around very soon!

We're glad you're here!

 

[BoundlessLove]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens!
My daughter’s Swedish hatched out ducklings this year, but I eventually separated her from the other ducks.
We did mark her eggs.

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC! I'm sure our duck folk will be happy to help.

 

[muddy75]

 

[Jenbirdee]

Can I mark eggs for leaving and pull the rest?

Yes

When ducklings hatch, can they be raised safely in this setting?

I would section off a corner of the pen at first

If not, how could I possibly know which hen(s) to seclude with chicks or not?

I think- The ones have been faithfully brooding them, and who want to raise them and don’t injure them


I would welcome any advice experienced duck keeps have about this.

I have not yet allowed any ducks to hatch eggs I had one of my chickens hatch some duck eggs, and I hatched eggs in a incubator, and I allowed my goose mama to hatch her own eggs.

@Miss Lydia has Muscovy ducks that hatched her runner ducklings and so I’ll tag her here.